Peppermints Anyone?

I don't know about you all but when it comes to the holidays, I become almost addicted to anything peppermint flavored.  I don't even like peppermint the other eleven months of the year.  I especially love anything peppermint white chocolate...mmm!  So of course I had to do peppermint nails, y'all.

I used one coat of Zoya Purity as the white.  After that dried I used Bundle Monster plate bm-213 and Essie Forever Yummy for the design.  Then I added some little green and red rhinestones just to make it even more fun.  I know the stamp didn't transfer completely.  I don't know if it's my stamping technique (or lack thereof) or the stamping plate, but I honestly love this mani and wish I could wear this all the time.  I just think people would look at me nuts if they happened to see them outside of the holiday season.  lol

What do you think?  Let me know in the comments below.

Essie On a Silver Platter

I am still working on swatching the polishes from my mini vacation and of course this is one of them.  The good thing about this post is I finally got my camera back.  Did I tell you all I left in Louisiana?  Well I did and it just arrived today safe and sound.  Now I will have better quality photos rather than using my lame iPhone.

Yes today is Black Friday but I wanted to do something non-black.  Especially since I work in retail and I had to wear all black today, polish included.  Essie On a Silver Platter seems like more of a topper to me but it can be really pretty on it's own as well.  Above is two coats over my bare nail.  It is a gold/silver shimmer base with blue holographic glitters.  I think if you are going to top it over black or some other darker color, you should definitely use a light hand because the shimmer is super saturated and it really takes over the black.

There were a couple of others from the Encrusted Treasures collection that I wanted to try like Belugaria but I hear it's pretty bad.  What do you all think of this Essie collection?

7 Days of Halloween - Day 4

Halfway through the Halloween nail series and I've having a blast creating these fun and scary manis for you all.  Today's mani is my favorite of the whole lot...seriously.  It's one that I'm sure you've seen multiple times in different ways by different bloggers, but it's like a Halloween staple.  How can you make it through this spooky holiday without doing a blood splatter mani?

Here we have my Friday the 13th/Jason Voorhees inspired mani.  Yes, that's my attempt at a dirty hockey mask.  lol I don't think it's too terrible for a first attempt.  I honestly can't remember the names of the polishes I used to create the base color/effect but I remember they were Julep brand.  One was a light greige color and the other was a darker taupe color.  Both were cremes and all I did was apply one coat of the light greige and after it dried I sponged the taupe color in random spots.  Then I used a black creme to create the holes in the ski mask and Essie Forever Yummy - my favorite red for nail art - to do the blood splatters.

So what do you think?  Did I do Jason justice?  Let me know in the comments below! (:

Water Marble Wednesday - Purple

For this week's water marble I wanted to do something a little different than I normally do.  So instead of multiple colors, I chose just one color in 5 different shades.  I wanted to stay monochromatic but still bright and fun.

I really love how this turned out.  The colors I chose worked perfectly together in the water and I think they look so good together.  I started with one thin coat of Sinful Colors Sweet Tooth just to help the colors pop.   The only issue I had was a few bubbles on a couple of my nails which I'm sure you can see when you enlarge the photos.  Other than that, like I said, it was very easy.  It was like all conditions were perfect today which is normally not the case for me.  lol

WHAT I USED:
Sinful Colors Sweet Tooth
Color Club Lavendarling
Zoya Zara
China Glaze Señorita Bonita
Essie Sexy Divide

I listed the polishes in order from lightest to darkest which is how I used them in the mani.  I really enjoy this mani and just don't want to take it off, but tomorrow is another day and another blog post so we'll see what happens.  (:

Pinterest Week Day 6

Oh my!  I feel like I'm running a bit late on this post just like yesterday.  I've just been putting it off.  Not the mani.  That's been done.  It's the editing of photos that always takes so long and I just don't want to do it sometimes.  I'm super tired right now and my eyes are crossing.  lol  Let's get this going!!

Day 6: Nails and Noms
MY PIN HERE
ORIGINAL POST HERE

Today was a super crazy and busy day at work so when I got home, the last thing I wanted to do was nails. I mean, I'm just being honest here.  Just because of that I had to do something quick and simple.  A splatter mani!  Messy but very easy.

I've been wanting to recreate Rie's metallic splatter mani for awhile.  I almost forgot about it.  Almost.  I love the fact that she not only chose to do metallics, but that she chose to do it matte.  I'm a sucker for matte.

WHAT I USED:
Nails Inc noho - black (I can't stop using it!)
Ulta High Roller - gold
Zoya Trixie - silver
Essie Buy Me a Cameo - rose gold
Hard Candy Mattely In Love - top coat

This is Rie's gorgeous mani that she originally used for the 31 Day Challenge.  She used copper instead of a rose gold color which I love better (the copper I mean).  I was just in such a hurry and I couldn't find one that I liked at the beauty supply so I settled for rose gold.  Eh.  Whatevs, right?!

Comparison - Essie Sexy Divide/Ulta I Love My Blackberry

So when I first bought these it was around the same time and I was in a really purple mood.  I didn't even realize how similar they were until I saw them next to each other.  I figured since they were the same, I would go ahead and do a comparison post and then keep the one with the best formula or finish.  Little did I know, they are nothing alike.

 This is the image that had me completely fooled.  I know they don't look exact but I didn't expect this to happen.

My pinky and middle finger are Essie Sexy Divide, and my ring and pointer finger are Ulta I Love My Blackberry.  They are absolutely different is shade but not too much in formula.

As you can see, Essie Sexy Divide is lighter and has more red whereas Ulta ILMB is way darker and more blue and black, hence the reference to the blackberry.  Essie also required 3 coats and Ulta only needed 2.  The applications of these two pretties were very easy to apply as well.

This photo is inside with flash, but you can still tell the difference in shade.  I wish you could see it in person because the contrast is so wide.  Since they are so different, lucky for me, I get to keep them both! (:


And one last note, they photographed so well and very true to color, unlike other purples.  Just a heads up.
D

Essie Sexy Divide Revisited

I swatched this awhile ago when my blog was a baby and all my photos sucked.  I know it may have been difficult to see, but look at it now...

Stay tuned!

Essie Forever Yummy Sealed With a Kiss

Hello All!


Like I said yesterday, I'm going to try and post a Valentine's inspired mani everyday until February 14th.  For this one I started off with Essie Forever Yummy.

Forever Yummy is a rich red creme that applies like a dream in 2 coats.  It's almost a 1 coater.


I applied Hard Candy Mattely In Love to the whole nail and China Glaze Ruby Pumps to the tips.  Then I sealed it with a kiss.

WHAT I USED:
Essie Forever Yummy - 2 coats
Hard Candy Mattely In Love - 1 coat
China Glaze Ruby Pumps - 2 swipes across the tips
Sinful Colors Soul Mate for the kiss
BM plate 02

I thought about adding glitter to the lips like lip gloss, but I thought that might be overkill.  I hope you enjoyed this fun little mani.  Come back tomorrow to see what other Valentine's junk I come up with.


D

Deborah Lippmann Whatever Lola Wants and Polka Dots

Evening Bloggers!


I hope you all had a fantastic weekend like I did.  I didn't do anything special; just hung out with my honey and did some swatching.  Ya know, fun!  I tried to think of some Valentine's inspired manis and this is what I came up with.

This is Whatever Lola Wants over Sinful Colors Soul Mate.  WLW is just too sheer to wear alone.  You would need, like, 10 coats.

 Then I used my dotting tool and created some overlapped polka dots in respective Valentine's colors.


WHAT I USED: (for polka dots)
Essie Forever Yummy
CG White on White
Jesse's Girl Cupcake Frosting
Sinful Colors Soul Mate


I just did a couple dots of each and Voila!


This should be the first of many Valentine's inspired manis if I can keep up.


D

Sally Hansen Snappy Sprinkles

Just a quick post today of yesterday's mani with glitter.  So let me tell you a little anecdote.


I went to Ulta some time last year, around my birthday I think.  There was this beautiful bar glitter from Sally Hansen calling my name.  It was the last one.  However, I had already picked up at least 5 other polishes and some other cosmetics, and I had to narrow them down because, let's face it, I didn't need them all, and I sure couldn't afford them all.  I don't remember what I decided on, but I know that I put Snappy Sprinkles back and then regretted it as soon as I got home.


I've been to Ulta many times since then and had completely forgot about the glitter until yesterday.  There were so many polishes on clearance, so of course I had to check them out.  And as I was rifling through them all, there was that beautiful bar glitter from Sally Hansen calling my name again, but this time, half the price.  She is now sitting in my polish collection and is layered on my China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy.

Snappy Sprinkles is peach and mint bar glitter in a clear base.  The mint is just "sprinkled" in.  LOL.  Then to make it even more amazing, I added Essie Matte About You.

I'm not sure FFF is the best polish to convey the colors in the glitter, but I'm going to keep playing with it.

D

New Year's Resolution and Deborah Lippmann

Hello and Happy New Year!


Today I wanted to share a little something with you all.  My new year's resolutions for 2012.  I never make them because they are so easy to break, but this year I'm determined to follow through.


My resolutions are to stop buying so much nail polish and to run my upcoming 5ks without stopping.


When it comes to the nail polish, I buy a new one (or 5) almost everytime I go to the store, but I own way too many as it is.  I am going to try to wear every polish I already own before I buy a new one.  This will be several months worth of swatching, but my wallet and my boyfriend will be super happy.


As for the 5ks I mentioned, there are two.  The first one is Warrior Dash, which is a 3 mile long obstacle course.  I ran it last year, but it took me forever because I was so out of shape, and I walked the last half.  The second is the most important to me.  It's called Run for the Rose and it's in support of brain cancer research.  My family and I are running it in memory of my mom.  When I ran last year, once again, I was so out of shape that I nearly died.  This year I really want to complete these without falling out on the course, and I think this resolution is more reachable than the ever popular "I want to lose weight this year".  If I train hard enough and complete them, then that will just be a bonus I guess.


What is your resolution?  I'd really love to hear them.


And now for a pretty polish.

This is Deborah Lippmann Glitter in the Air.  I don't really have any words.  I fell in love as soon as I saw it.  I love that it's pastel.  I love that the glitter is pastel.  I love that it looks like a glitter-jelly sandwich.  I LOVE IT!  It reminds me of babies or ice cream.  lol!


And then I added Essie Matte About You which I love way more.

I hope today is amazing for all of you and that it turns out to be the start of a wonderful year. 

Essie Wrapped in Rubies Revisited

Hello and Merry Christmas!


I hope you all had a wonderful day.  I spent some really great quality time with my boyfriend's and my family.  We ate a lot and laughed a lot.  That's my favorite part.


I wanted to reswatch Essie Wrapped in Rubies for three reasons.  The first time I swatched it, I was just starting out and had a terrible photo.  Second, I feel like it is a really great Christmas color and I GOT A NEW CAMERA!  I am so excited because I have been using a camera phone for the past year.

Wrapped in Rubies is a shimmery burgundy with a slight gold sheen.  Honestly it's not one of my favorites eventhough I feel like it looks great on me.  The formula is really great and opaque in two coats.


What was your holiday polish pick?

Zoya Dannii with BM stamp

Hello fellow bloggers!

I hope everyone is having a fantastic start to their week.  I'm not crazy about my week yet.  My honey had a family emergency and is out of town until Saturday.  boo!  I do wish him and his family the best though.  So until he gets back, it's just me and my fur baby, Monster.

Now on to the fun stuff.  Today I'm going to show you my simple mani from Sunday that I'm taking off today.  It didn't really last that long at all.  The next day it had already chipped at the tips, however I was working really hard yesterday.  Whatever I decide to do for the rest of the week, I'll be a bit more gentle on it.  But anyway, I bought this polish at Ulta about 2 weeks ago and had yet to use it, but I'm pretty psyched I did.  It's gorgeous.  Hope you like it!

WHAT I USED:

Zoya Dannii - 2 coats

Finger Paints - Amethyst Atelier w/ BM plate19

Essie Matte About You

Then I just added a couple of white rhinestones in the design.

Lots of Swatches

Hello fellow bloggers!!

I am pleased to let you all know that I got that stupid phone to work and so NOW you get to see all the swatches from my latest haul.  This post is picture heavy so be prepared for AWESOMENESS!

This is really bad lighting...sorry!

From L to R:
WnW Grey's Anatomy
WnW 9021-Orange
CG Flip Flop Fantasy
Orly Hot Shot
Essie Wrapped in Rubies
Essie Sexy Divide

Wet N Wild Grey's Anatomy - an iridescent light grey...2 coats

Wet N Wild 9021-Orange - bright orange with extreme shimmer power...3 coats for max amazingness.  I also messed up my pinkie.  Wah!

China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy - creamy neon pink with a slight shimmer...1 coat

Essie Wrapped in Rubies - wine colored shimmer formula with gold tones in the light...2 coats

Essie Sexy Divide - the most gorgeous royal purple I have ever seen...1 coat

Enjoy!